Electricity meters provide a mechanism for utility companies to measure electricity consumption at a residence, business, facility, or other site. Such electricity meters often contain a service switch to connect or disconnect electricity service to the respective site. Some electricity meters are equipped with two-way communication technologies that allow utility companies to remotely connect or disconnect power via the service switch in the meter.
Some electricity meters also include communication technologies, such as power line communications (PLC), that allow the meters to communicate with one or more appliances or communication devices inside the consumer's home or other site to which service is provided (i.e., on a circuit internal to the site). However, the utility company's ability to communicate with appliances or communication devices on circuits internal to the site via PLC terminates if electricity service to the site is disconnected. That is, once service is disconnected to the site, the service switch is open, thereby preventing a PLC coupler at the meter from communicating with devices on circuits internal to the site.